- #1
curiousphoton
- 117
- 2
I don't have a question but wanted rather to start a conversation about the problem of our Physics Educational Program at all levels here in the US of A.
Let's take a trip down my memory lane and see a the type of physics education a privileged citizen like myself received :
Junior High School (Grades 6 - 8) : None.
High School (Grades 9 -12) : Not required to take any physics courses although they were offered. This seems crazy to me. I attended a top 20 public high school in the US of A and we weren't required to take physics? In fact we weren't required to take chemistry! We just had to take 1 year of science which could be fulfilled by biology, physiology, etc. Seeing how I went to a top 20 high school, I'm wondering about the 99% of high schools below ours. I think it's a safe bet to say 90% of high school students graduate without every taking a physics course in their life...
College : The small percentage who make it to college are, once again, not required to take any type of physics / chemistry course unless their major requires it. It's college! How do we not require everyone to take a basic physics / chem course?? I attended the #3 public undergrad engineering program and minored in physics. I didn't know F = ma until sophmore year. I was embarrassed to admit that for a while but now I've realize it's our instutionals that are to blame. If you think about it, all of our great theories and physicists' came from Europe? They are introduced to physics at a young age and those interested continue to pursue it.
I, on the other hand, really learned physics (and fell in love) at the ripe age of 20. AND that was after attending the top public schools in the country.
Anyway, thought I'd share my thoughts with anyone who cared. Some will agree, some with disagree, but it's probably a topic that needs to be addressed? Or maybe physics and science aren't that important and we should teach our kids about 'intelligent design' instead?
Let's take a trip down my memory lane and see a the type of physics education a privileged citizen like myself received :
Junior High School (Grades 6 - 8) : None.
High School (Grades 9 -12) : Not required to take any physics courses although they were offered. This seems crazy to me. I attended a top 20 public high school in the US of A and we weren't required to take physics? In fact we weren't required to take chemistry! We just had to take 1 year of science which could be fulfilled by biology, physiology, etc. Seeing how I went to a top 20 high school, I'm wondering about the 99% of high schools below ours. I think it's a safe bet to say 90% of high school students graduate without every taking a physics course in their life...
College : The small percentage who make it to college are, once again, not required to take any type of physics / chemistry course unless their major requires it. It's college! How do we not require everyone to take a basic physics / chem course?? I attended the #3 public undergrad engineering program and minored in physics. I didn't know F = ma until sophmore year. I was embarrassed to admit that for a while but now I've realize it's our instutionals that are to blame. If you think about it, all of our great theories and physicists' came from Europe? They are introduced to physics at a young age and those interested continue to pursue it.
I, on the other hand, really learned physics (and fell in love) at the ripe age of 20. AND that was after attending the top public schools in the country.
Anyway, thought I'd share my thoughts with anyone who cared. Some will agree, some with disagree, but it's probably a topic that needs to be addressed? Or maybe physics and science aren't that important and we should teach our kids about 'intelligent design' instead?